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An American Dictionary of the English Language

Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)

Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865

Entries
95,912
Pages
1,538
Illustrations
2,133

Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.

  1. A-dăm'ic, a.p. 18Pertaining to Adam. Adamic earth, a name given to common red clay, from a notion that Adam means red earth.
  2. Ăd'am-ite, n.p. 18(Eccl. Hist.) One of a sect of visionaries, who pretended to establish a state of innocence, and, like Adam, went naked. They abhorred marriage, holding it to be the effect of sin.
  3. Ăd'am-it'ic, a.p. 18Pertaining to, or in any respect resembling, the sect of Adamites. “Adamitic impudence.” Bp. Taylor.
  4. Ăd'am's-ăp'ple, n.p. 18A species of citron. [See CITRON.] 2. The projection formed by the thyroid cartilage in the neck. It is particularly prominent in males, and is so called from a notion that it was caused by the apple…
  5. Ad'am's-nee'dle, n.p. 18(Bot.) The Yucca gloriosa, the roots of which are thick and tuber-like, and were used by the Indians to make coarse meal and bread. See YUCCA.
  6. Ăd'an-sō'ni-ă, n.p. 18(Bot.) The famous African tree, called the Baobab, or Monkey's Bread, or African Calabash. It attains a height of seventy or eighty feet, with twice that diameter of shade. The fruit resembles a…
  7. A-dăpt', v. t.p. 18To make suitable; to fit, or suit. For nature, always in the right, To your decays adapts my sight. Swift.
  8. A-dăpt'a-bĭl'i-ty or A-dăpt'a-ble-ness, n.p. 18The quality of being adaptable; suitableness.
  9. A-dăpt'a-ble, a.p. 18Capable of being adapted.
  10. Ad'ap-tā'tion, n.p. 18The act of making, adapting, or fitting; or the state of being adapted or fitted; fitness. “A perfect adaptation of the means to the end.” Erskine.
  11. A-dăpt'ed-ness or A-dăpt'ive-ness, n.p. 18State of being adapted; suitableness.
  12. A-dăpt'er, n.p. 18One who adapts. 2. (Chem.) A glass tube open at both ends, placed between a retort and receiver to give more space to elastic vapors; an adopter.
  13. A-dăp'tion, n.p. 18Adaptation; the act of fitting. [Obs. and rare.] Cheyne.
  14. A-dăpt'ive, a.p. 18Suited or tending to adaptation.
  15. A-dăpt'ly, adv.p. 18In a suitable manner. [Rare.] For active horsemanship adaptly fit. Prior.
  16. A-dăpt'ness, n.p. 18A state of being adapted, or fitted. [Rare.] Bp. Newton.
  17. Ăd'ap-tō'ri-al, a.p. 18Same as ADAPTIVE. [Rare.]
  18. Ā'där, n.p. 18A Hebrew month, answering to the latter part of February and the beginning of March, the 12th of the sacred, and 6th of the civil, year.
  19. A-där'çe, n.p. 18A saltish concretion on reeds and grass in marshy grounds in Galatia. It is soft and porous, and was formerly used for cleansing the skin from freckles and tetters, and also in leprosy. Dana.
  20. Ad'a-tīs, n.p. 18A fine cotton cloth of India. Buchanan.
  21. A-däunt′, v. t.p. 18To daunt or subdue. [Rare.] Skelton.
  22. Ad·aw′, v. t.p. 18To fill with awe; to daunt; to subject. [Obs.] The sight whereof did greatly him adaw. Spenser. 2. [Fr. adoucir, to soften.] To moderate. [Obs.] Gins to abate the brightness of his beam, And fervor…
  23. A-dāys', adv.p. 18By day, or every day. [Obs., except in the compound now-a-days.] Spencer. Fielding.
  24. Ad·eōr'po·rāte, v. t.p. 18To unite with another body; to accorporate. [Obs.]
  25. Add, v. t.p. 18To join or unite, as one thing or sum to another, so as to increase the number, augment the quantity, enlarge the magnitude, or so as to form into one aggregate. “As easily as he can add together the…
  26. Add, v. i.p. 18To augment, by joining one thing to another; to increase; — followed by to or unto. “I will add to your yoke.” 1 Kings xii. 14.
  27. Ăd'da-ble, a.p. 18See ADDIBLE.
  28. Ad-dĕç'i-māte, v. t.p. 18To take or ascertain the tenth part of; to tithe; to decimate. Bailey.
  29. Ad-deem’, v. t.p. 18To award; to sentence. [Rare.] “Unto him they did addeem the prize.” Spenser.
  30. Ad-dĕn'dum, n.p. 18A thing to be added; an appendix. Addendum circle (Mech.), the distance or space between the pitch line of a gear and the circle touching the ends of the teeth. Rankine.
  31. Ăd'der, n.p. 18(Zoöl.) A venomous serpent of the genus Vipera. The common adder is the Vipera berus. Baird. 2. A serpent in general. Milton. 3. (Ichth.) The same as SEA-ADDER.
  32. Ad'der-fly, n.p. 18The dragon-fly.
  33. Ad'der's-grāss, n.p. 18A plant about which serpents lurk.
  34. Ad'der's-tōngue, n.p. 18A genus of ferns, whose seeds are produced on a spike resembling a serpent's tongue; Ophioglossum. London.
  35. Ad'der's-wōrt, n.p. 18Snakeweed (Polygonum bis-torta); — so named from its supposed virtue in curing the bite of serpents.
  36. Ăd'di-bil'i-ty, n.p. 18State or quality of being addible; possibility of being added. Locke.
  37. Ăd'di·ble, a.p. 18Capable of being added. “Addible numbers.” Locke.
  38. Ad'dĭce, n.p. 18See ADZE.
  39. Ad-dict', a.p. 18Addicted. [Obs.] Shak.
  40. Ad-dict', v. t.p. 18To apply habitually; to devote; to accustom; to habituate. “Addicted to commerce.” “They addict themselves to the civil law.” Evelyn. He is addicted to his study. Beau. & Fl. That part of mankind…
  41. Ad-diet'ed-ness, n.p. 18The quality or state of being addicted. “Addictedness . . . to the study of Scripture.” Doyle.
  42. Ad·dic'tion, n.p. 18The state of being addicted. [Obs.] “His addiction was to courses vain.” Shak.
  43. Ad-dit'a-ment, n.p. 18An addition, or thing added. [Rare.] My persuasion that the latter verses of the chapter were an additament of a later age. Coleridge.
  44. Ad-di'tion, n.p. 18The act of adding two or more things together; —opposed to subtraction or diminution. “This endless addition or addibility of numbers.” Locke. 2. Any thing added; increase. “Unworthy of such…
  45. Ad-di'tion-al, a.p. 18Added; adscitious.
  46. Ad-di'tion-al, n.p. 18Something added; an addition, or additament. [Obs.] Howell.
  47. Ad-di'tion-al-ly, adv.p. 18By way of addition.
  48. Ad-di'tion-a-ry, a.p. 18Additional. [Rare.] Herbert.
  49. Ad·di·ti'tious, a.p. 18Added without good authority. Knowles.
  50. Ăd'di-tīve, a.p. 18Capable of being added, or to be added. Davies.
  51. Ăd'di-to-ry, a.p. 18Adding, or capable of adding. [Obs. or rare.] Arbuthnot.
  52. Ăd'dle, a.p. 18Having lost the power of development, by becoming diseased, as eggs; putrid; corrupt. Hence, producing nothing; unfruitful or barren, as brains. Dryden.
  53. Ăd'dle, v. t.p. 18To make addle; to make corrupt or morbid. “Themselves were chilled, their eggs were addled.” Cowper.
  54. Ăd'dle, v. i.p. 18To earn by labor; as, to addle up a little money. Forby. 2. To thrive or grow; as, a tree will not addle when embraced by ivy. Tusser.
  55. Ăd'dle, n.p. 18Laborers' wages. Halliwell. 2. The lees of wine. Ash.
  56. Ad-dōom', v. t.p. 18To adjudge. [Obs.] Spenser.
  57. Ad-dôrsed', a.p. 18(Her.) Having the backs turned to each other; as any two animals, or other bearings, on coats of arms.
  58. Ad-drĕss', v. t.p. 18To prepare or make ready. His foe was soon addressed. Spenser. Turnus addressed his men to single fight. Dryden. The five foolish virgins addressed themselves at the noise of the bridegroom’s coming.…
  59. Ad-drĕss’,, n.p. 19A formal application or discourse, either written or verbal. 2. A speech, message of respect, congratulation, thanks, petition, and the like; as, an address of thanks; an officer is removable upon…
  60. Ad-drĕss'er, n.p. 19One who addresses or petitions.